


don't you leave him, Samwise Gamgee

by bettersounds (thebadguyswin)



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: M/M, Sick Fic, they watch lotr:tfotr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-31
Updated: 2017-01-31
Packaged: 2018-09-21 04:27:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9531473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebadguyswin/pseuds/bettersounds
Summary: Tyler's sick and Josh likes to baby him.





	

Tyler’s phone buzzes for what he thinks must be the two hundredth time that day. It rattles against the glass top of his coffee table, reverberating through his apartment.

_Josh:  
Boss says phone in again tomorrow if you’re still not feeling any better x_

Tyler had started to feel shivery and queasy the day before, right at the end of his shift in the store he and Josh worked at. Josh had said he looked a little pale. Tyler had said it was nothing he couldn’t fix with a good night’s sleep.

When he’d woken up that morning, he’d been greeted by a splitting headache, sore throat, bleary vision, and blocked nose. It turns out sleeping had just let the sickness completely overrun his body.

So he’d phoned in sick, much to the disappointment of his boyfriend, and taken to staying in bed for most of the day. He’d managed to shower and change into clean pyjamas before curling up into bed again for a few hours. When that got boring, he’d moved with the majority of his bedding to the sofa and flicked the TV on. Painkillers had dulled the headache down to a slight discomfort, so he didn’t feel any worse watching the moving images, and he’d managed to find a sharing bag of chips to stop him feeling too hungry.

Now, Josh’s shift had finished, so Tyler could expect more communication with him.

Josh texts again.

_Josh:  
Are you feeling any better?_

The bright screen and focussing on the tiny keys hurts Tyler’s eyes, so he hits the green phone icon next to Josh’s name. Josh answers immediately. He’ll be on the bus home, Tyler figures.

“Hey, Ty. What’s up?”

“Hey, Joshie.” Tyler realises he hasn’t spoken all day, and his voice comes out a hoarse whisper. “Not feeling too great, to be honest.”

“Have you taken anything?” Tyler can hear the frown in his voice.

“Painkillers. Don’t have anything else in, and I can’t stand up for more than three minutes without feeling dizzy.” He admits.

“Give me an hour, I’ll be over.”

“Don’t be silly, you’ll get sick.” Tyler coughs, so his protests sound as weak as he intended them to be.

“You need to be babied, Ty.” Josh laughs though the phone. “I bet you haven’t eaten either.”

“Not true.” Tyler pouts, even though Josh can’t see it. Josh would know he’s pouting, though.

“Snack food doesn’t count. You’re such a mama’s boy, I bet she babied you.”

“Shut up, dude.” Tyler nestles deeper into his duvet. “But fine. You can come over. If you want.”

“Try and stop me.” Josh replies, and hangs up.

Tyler drifts in and out of consciousness, not really paying attention to whatever daytime sit-com is on his screen. It is fifty minutes before he hears a key slide into the lock on his front door, and someone enters his apartment.

“Ty?” Josh calls out. He doesn’t live with Tyler, but he got a key to the place eight months into their relationship. Tyler is so glad he does, because it means he can remain curled up under the heavy weight of his bedding.

Josh walks deeper into the apartment, setting two carrier bags onto the kitchen counter and pulling his jacket off to hang on a rack.

“Under here.” His voice, already bunged up and stifled, is muffled by the layers of plush.

Josh bursts into giggles at the sight of his boyfriend. He’s completely submerged under his blanket, save for the very top of his head, and three toes peeking out from the bottom edge. His toes are at the end of the couch closest to Josh, and he tweaks one of them. They disappear under the blanket, accompanied by a surprised squeak.

The area surrounding Tyler is littered with scrunched up tissues and crumbs from his snack food. Josh can’t see any sign of Tyler having drank anything or eaten anything substantial. He rolls his eyes.

“Can’t leave you for five minutes, can I?”

Tyler looks sheepish, groans, and wriggles even further under the blanket. Now all Josh can see is a tuft of soft brown hair. The strands are twisted, and clearly weren’t dry before Tyler went back to sleep. “I’m sick, leave me alone.”

“Okay, if you want. I better be off th-“

“No, wait.” Tyler pops his head out again. “Come back.” He pouts, and sniffs.

“I’m not going anyway.” Josh leans over Tyler and presses a kiss to his forehead. “Yikes, you do have a temperature. And you’re so clammy.” He presses hands to his cheeks and forehead. “Kinda gross.”

“Thanks.” Tyler frowns.

“Don’t mention it.” He goes back to the bags on the counter. “Anyway, time to make you feel better. “We got disgusting hot lemon drinks that make you feel better but takes like ass…”

“You would know.” Tyler smirks, and Josh blushes.

“Shut up.” Josh narrows his eyes. “Do you want my help?”

Tyler smiles sweetly. “Carry on.”

“So, yeah. Ass-drink. I got cough sweets too, I don’t know if you have a cough but you coughed on the phone, so yeah…” Josh pulls out far more items than Tyler could have expected him to be able to carry. “More painkillers. Chicken soup. Sorry it’s not homemade or anything, but it is the nicest shit they had in the store. Um… Cheese in case you want grilled cheese. Hot chocolate. Orange juice. Actual oranges. Did I miss anything?”

“Uh…” Tyler stares wide-eyed at the mountain of stuff. “The kitchen sink?”

Josh laughs. “Oh! I know.” He reaches into his jacket pocket, still hanging up. “Lord of the Rings?” He holds the DVD aloft triumphantly.

Tyler buries his face into the quilt to hide his smile. The Lord of the Rings was Tyler’s go-to sick movie when he was a kid. He didn’t expect Josh to remember. “I think you got everything.”

“Okay, good.” Josh smiles, and puts the stove on and empties the soup into a pan to heat up. “You’re eating this now or you’ll never get better. You want grilled cheese too?”

Tyler nods.

“Got it.”

Josh had a point, Tyler was useless when he was sick. He’d relied on his mom or dad or brothers when he was sick to make him food and give him medicine. His medicine cabinet in his own apartment is rarely well stocked.

Now, though, he had Josh. Josh heats up soup for Tyler, and makes grilled cheese for both of them. He makes up two mugs of drink. One is a hot lemon drink for the flu, and the other is a hot chocolate to get the taste out of Tyler’s mouth as fast as possible. Josh slides the disc into the player and passes the remote control to Tyler so he can play the movie when it has loaded up. He gets more blankets out of the cupboard and drapes them around Tyler, who starts shivering if any part of him is exposed for too long.

By the time the film is explaining the origins of the Rings of Power, Tyler is sitting cross legged on the sofa, surrounded by blankets, and being spoon-fed chicken soup by Josh.

“I can eat it myself.” Tyler whines, as Josh dabs the corner of his mouth for him.

“Shut up. Let me baby you.” Josh pouts and spoons more soup into Tyler’s mouth. Their sandwiches are set on the coffee table, cooling down before either of them attempt to eat them.

Tyler realises quickly that Josh had had a point when he said that snack food wasn’t good enough. One bowl of soup later, and Tyler doesn’t feel like he’s dying as much.

“Drink your hot lemon. Then you can have your grilled cheese.” Josh hands him the mug carefully.

Tyler screws his face up. “But it tastes so gross.” He takes a sip, and shudders as the bitter liquid scalds his throat.

Josh sighs, stands, and goes to a food cupboard. He takes out a bag of sugar and scoops four spoonfuls into Tyler’s mug and stirs. “Now?”

Tyler sips again. It’s still disgusting, but it’s less sour at least. “It’ll do.”

Josh chuckles every time Tyler sips the lemon drink and sticks his tongue out. He manages four or five mouthfuls before needing to drink some hot chocolate to give his mouth a break.

Frodo is volunteering to take the ring by the time Tyler manages to drain the mug. Tyler is glad, because it means he can shout “FIGWIT” and high-five Josh without tasting of bitter lemon.

“I love Figwit.” Josh sighs.

Tyler trades his empty mug for the one still full of hot chocolate, shuffles to lean against Josh’s chest. “Me too.” He whispers.

Josh lifts the plate of their grilled cheese and rests it on his knee. He wraps his free arm over Tyler’s chest and rubs his fingers against the soft fabric of his pyjama top while biting into his sandwich. Tyler still snuffles, but his temperature is beginning to reduce thanks to the medicine. The hot chocolate is comforting and sweet, and stops his shivering. He can just about stomach half of his grilled cheese before his stomach hurts. He gives up his other half to a surprisingly hungry Josh.

“You’re like a garbage disposal.” Tyler giggles as Josh makes quick work of Tyler’s leftovers.

“I’m just a hungry boy.”

Tyler snorts and snuggles back down against Josh. Josh’s fingers stroke lazily through Tyler’s hair. It’s slightly damp from perspiration, as is to be expected for someone with a fever who’d been hiding under blankets all day.

Tyler sips his hot chocolate and turns his attention back to the movie. He thinks it is ridiculous how safe and loved he feels, watching one of his favourite movies from his youth, and sharing body heat with his boyfriend who had gone to such great lengths to make him feel better.

When Tyler bursts into a coughing fit, Josh pats his back and digs out the cough sweets for him to suck on. When he sneezes, Josh passes him tissues and wraps his arms around him while Tyler blows his nose and sniffs some more.

Tyler tries his hardest not to well up at the end of the film, when Sam chases Frodo to the boat. He fails, and hides his head in Josh’s armpit.

“Are you crying, dude?” Josh chuckles, and lifts the blanket up to get a better view of Tyler’s face.

“No.” He whimpers, voice is muffled against Josh’s skin, and eyes already red and blinking.

Josh tuts softly. “Liar.”

“Shut up.” Tyler moans, peaking at the screen as Frodo and Sam embrace. “It’s just sweet, that’s all.”

“Sam nearly drowning?” Josh raises his eyebrows. He hadn’t grown up with The Lord of the Rings in the same way that Tyler had, but he enjoyed the films nevertheless.

“Not that.” Tyler sniffs. “Just…. Nice. You know? Sam’s got his back.”

“You’re delirious and poorly.” Josh coos, nipping Tyler’s bunged up and snotty nose. “And soft.”

“You’re soft.” Tyler protests, and weakly thumps Josh’s arm a few times.

Josh easily stops Tyler’s flailing limbs and laughs. “Only for you.”

Tyler’s giggles turn into a yawn, and he’s suddenly weary.

“Sleepy?” Josh guesses. “Let’s get you to bed.” He scoops his arms under Tyler’s legs and lifts him easily from the sofa. Tyler moans and grips his blanket to carry it with him to his bedroom, but other than that, he falls limply against Josh’s chest.

“It’s early.”

“And you’re sick. You should sleep it off.” Josh makes a couple of trips back and forth to get all of Tyler’s bedding, his tissues, and a glass of orange juice. He effectively makes a blanket fort for Tyler to nestle into.

“All good?” Josh asks.

Tyler nods, only his face visible amongst pillows and quilts.

“Okay, good.” Josh smiles. “And there’s still soup, so if you’re not better tomorrow you’re all set.”

“Are you not gonna be here tomorrow?” Tyler whines, and his bottom lip wobbles.

“I have work, buddy.”

“Or…” Tyler wiggles his eyebrows.

Josh’s mind jumps to something rather X-rated. “You’re not well, Ty.”

“Not that!” Tyler rolls his eyes. “Or, you’re such a good boyfriend, you stayed the night with me and got sick too?”

“Tyler…”

“Or you at least stayed the night with your boyfriend and still went to work the next day but came home here instead?” Tyler raises his voice hopefully. “I’ll keep my germs to myself.” He pouts.

Josh sighs. He won’t be able to deny Tyler. “Fine.”

“You’re just like Sam. I knew it.” Tyler flops back against the pillows triumphantly.

“Bullshit.” Josh pulls of his shirt and jeans, and slides under the layers next to Tyler. “I’m Aragorn and you know it.”

Tyler laughs, and wraps his arms around Josh’s midriff. “Whatever, Sam.”


End file.
